First Week.

So ECI 831 is my first masters class.  When I signed up for this class I thought that I was fairly knowledgeable in the realm of technology... apparently not!  In this first class I was surprised about how little I utilize the tools I do have.  I have done some simple blogging with my classes, but never took it very far.  I had a twitter account then simply didn't feel like using it so I ended up forgetting the password.  I have a facebook account that I check on almost everyday, but most of the people I am connected with are typical facebookers where they use the site to complain about their daily lives.  I have began doing a clear cut on that one to make my facebook more appropriate for what I am looking for out of it... (but gossip and the gong show of society is partly intriguing as well... so we will see how many people get cut.)  As for multi media, websites, online professional communities and the plethora of other tech tools that are out there I am essentially illiterate.

With all of that being said I am passionate about technology in my classroom and am very excited to have the opportunity to experience the variety of tools that are available to us as educators.  As it stands I use technology at its basic sense in my classroom.  We use digital cameras, laptops and Ipads, along with our projector and mimio tools to help make the learning more interactive and engaging.  When the technology is used to its full potential I really see large jumps in the comprehension of the given material the students are working with.  Which makes me more excited about taking this class as I am hoping to learn more about how to make our time with these tools more interactive and productive. 

Within my class I like to embrace the tools that my student are able to bring into the class.  I am leery about connecting with the students on a social media level as there seems to be a stigma about lines being blurred.  I would never cross a line but it is the immaturity of the students that I am more concerned with.  I think that connecting with the students would give me a greater insight into their daily lives, but at the same point when is it acceptable for us to become that personal with our students?  Which brings me to the thought process of how a decade ago you had to work at having your personal life be public yet now it is the opposite where you need to work even more diligently to keep your personal life private.  I am hoping through the semester I can develop a stronger stance on the issue and either make a decision as to whether I will begin to connect with my students on a social media level or not.